The Devil's Advocate
by Gothic-Tinkerbell
Summary: Alternate story line: Without a heart of his own, the wizard Howl preys upon the young and the beautiful for theirs. When he captures the girl Sophie and can't bring himself to part from her, all of her fantasies will come true, but not the way she hoped.
1. Preface: The Gesture

A/N: I didn't think I would ever start another fanfiction, and was still wondering how I was going to finish my others, but this one caught me by surprise. I think it will be interesting to be part of the first group of people posting fanfictions for this Movie, and to see how much it grows. I loved the movie, as I have loved all of Hayao Miyazaki's films, but this one made a special impression on me.

So here I go with the preface to my new Howl's fanfic Devil's Advocate, which will get pretty graphic, pretty dark, but then again all of my stories do.

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WARNING: Rated M for future coarse language, violence, and adult themes including sex and abuse. You have been warned.

The Devil's Advocate

By Gothic Tinkerbell

Preface The Gesture

Another plume of black smoke rose about the tightly packed cobblestone street, but the trolley tracks still showed no sign of a coming streetcar. Sophie had been waiting for what seemed like hours for the next car to take her home. Patiently she stood on the sidewalk, sighing to herself on occasion, looking down the tracks for the terribly late car, and trying not to pay too much attention to the growing dusk.

The bags in her hands were becoming almost unbearably heavy, but she knew she couldn't leave groceries and the days earning from the hat shop unattended. Again she peeked down the tracks, saw nothing, and heaved a sigh.

Half of the rusty sun had already fallen behind the mountains to the west, with the horizon, trees, and rooftops of the rickety old houses glowing with it. The smell of smoke and the cooking pots of supper lingered about the streets and Sophie began to feel very overheated. She wore a long, dark green dress, with 3/4 sleeves, a high collar, fitted bust, and sixteen buttons running down her back to keep it form fitted. The emerald color dress was causing her much discomfort, and she wished to take it off dearly, and let her long auburn hair out of its braid.

Another unexplainable puff of coal smoke shot up, too close this time, and Sophie had to fight for clean air. When it had cleared, there was still no streetcar, and Sophie was left coughing and tired.

She caught a glance of the mountains again and dreadfully realized it would soon be very dark. Then her eyes wandered down the twisting slopes to the land of the wastes. The rolling planes began at the slopes of the western mountains and came all the way down to the river that separated them from the city. The wastes looked yellow and quite alive as the last parts of the sunset threw light upon them.

Sophie had always been curious as to what the wastes were truly like, but was never courageous enough to go explore herself. With witches and wizards wandering about its heart, not to mention monsters, demons, and the cursed, it had no end of horrible stories to its name.

She remembered the stories her father would tell her when he was still alive, about the wastes, what lived there, and the things he had seen when given no choice but to travel through. On one occasion Sophie's father had come across a man who was much like himself, but that to his misfortune had been turned into a very large jackrabbit by a witch. Apparently this man had been caught trying to hunt the witches special scouting birds, and had been justly cursed. Sophie's father had become very frightened to hear this, because he had just finished hunting a few of the same birds - for they were the only animals around to eat. Sophie's father knew not what had happened to the man in the end, but did manage to bring him back to the city safely. The last he heard the cursed jackrabbit-man had taken a train to the royal city to find someone who could lift the curse.

But Sophie's favorite stories were always the ones about Howl and his monstrous castle. She had heard many different stories about him, and almost all painted him as a different character. Some told of him as a charming man with a shallow demeanor and short temper. Others said he was mysterious and secretive, who became a wizard to learn dark arts, and wandered the wastes by himself, locked away in his moving castle to study the occult. But most described him as desirable and enigmatic, but cruel and heartless. He was the dashing kind of wizard who would chase immense wealth, power, and beautiful women, but also had the reputation of being a sneaky, selfish coward. It was also said, not very often and usually not loud enough to hear, that he was cursed himself, maybe even a demon, and could shape shift into horrible creatures. Howl had enchanted Sophie, and not even stories of demonic power could change that.

But she wondered to herself which he truly was, for she had never known anyone who had actually met Howl, and ever spoke of it. Her father had once come uncomfortably close to his possessed castle, which scoured the hills on four, large, heaving, mechanical legs, billowing steam stacks, numerous compartments, and even a face like a demon on its front with sharp teeth. But it was also said that Howl traveled under many aliases, so people could meet him and never realize it. This turned out to be one of those moments, so of course with out realizing it Sophie's fantasies would come true, just maybe not in the way she had hoped.

Now in the dimming bluish-yellow light a large shadow resembling a streetcar came rolling down the street towards Sophie. It was moving quite fast and surprisingly silent, but had a posture of determination as it rolled closer. She sighed with relief, and prepared herself to board the car. The shadowy vehicle slowed to a stop before Sophie and right under a street lamp.

The car was now revealed in the burning light to not be a car at all, or at least one unlike any Sophie had ever encountered. The vehicle was more like a carriage, and shaped like a snail shell with half-a-dozen beetle like legs holding it up. The whole thing seemed alive in itself, swaying slightly as if breathing, beetle legs twitching, and Sophie became more and more awed and nervous by the moment. She stood very still, staring at the carriage, sizing it up with her eyes, and almost jumped back when the spiral on the snail shell before her unwound itself into a door.

The headless snail carriage then kneeled on its beetle legs till the opening was accessible for Sophie. After all this, she was hardly startled when an arm extended out of the opening, offering its soft pallid hand - the voice didn't frighten her either.

"Come my dearI'll take you home." The strange and yet familiar voice echoed out of the carriage and the sound engulfed Sophie. Eyes and a shadowed face could soon be seen behind the pleading hand, and their seductive nature brought Sophie from her stoic, frightened manner.

Timidly she put her hand in this stranger's, and felt his grip tighten. Sophie couldn't help but stare straight into his eyes, shivers running down her spine. And without realizing what she was doing, where she was going, who she was getting involved with, and the affect this single gesture would have on her whole life, Sophie entered the carriage with out fear. In truth she had much to fear, but those were eyes she so wanted to trust, and at the moment it didn't matter if she could or not.

A/N: There you have it, first installment, and a cliffhanger at that. I appreciate support, especially when I'm still trying to figure out if I should continue with this or not. So please review, and I will more likely than not have the first chapter up very soon, which will be filled with juicy, angsty, dark plot, because Sophie and Howls first encounter will be very tumultuous, and lets just say he has plans for her

-GT


	2. Chapter 1: The Act

_A/N: I got this next one up pretty quick, but of course it is short, and I think that is that way I am going to handle this whole story – short chapters fast updates. I'm glad I received some very positive response for the story so far, and I can only hope that it's popularity grows. This chapter still has the story very dreamlike and happy, nothing dark yet, but it will begin to be more and more twisted in the chapters to come. Read and enjoy!_

**WARNING: Rated M for future coarse language, violence, and adult themes including sex and abuse. You have been warned.**

The Devil's Advocate

By Gothic Tinkerbell

Chapter 1: The Act

Even through the dark, unsettling mists clawing at the window of the rocking carriage, Sophie knew she was far from home. She had long given up the hope that this dream-like apparition of carriage and ghostly rider were going to take her home, home to her warm bed, home to the security of the small room, home to what she knew she could trust and believe.

It was difficult for her to keep up the act of being completely engaged with the scenery outside the window. Sophie chose to look straight through the translucent opening in the snail's shell, so that she would not have to look at her fellow passenger. It was most likely obvious that she was trying to hard to avoid his eyes, but once the wonder of their first encounter had begun to wear off, she couldn't bring herself to look – afraid of what she might see.

The man, her captor as it now seemed, hadn't made the effort to engage her either, but sat quietly across from her, legs crossed, hands folded atop them, with straight posture and a still shadowed face. Entering the cabin hadn't aided Sophie in revealing anymore of this mans face, for he was still shadowed. As she sat there timidly trying to avoid him, she had begun a guessing game in her mind as to his true identity. Her guesses had been narrowed down to two simple facts, he was either a demon, or this whole event was but a vivid dream.

Looking through the window and yet seeing past everything there into her own mind, Sophie had been able to stay quiet calm and collected, until the mists lifted and the wastes rolled out before her, endless and terrible. This was finally what she had needed to be able to turn in surprise and growing fear towards her keeper and look at him. He was still composed in the same manner, but it felt as if he were staring straight at her, straight into her, from behind those shadows.

The words Sophie had wanted to say for sometime were forced from her mouth. "…Where are we going?" She asked just above a whisper. "You said…you said you were going to take me home?"

At last a movement came from this man, if that was truly what he was, and he leaned forward over his knees and into the light. "I am taking you home…you just haven't realized it yet."

The velvety voice was still the same, the sound made of silk and seduction. And now with his face and body revealed, again Sophie felt enchanted. His face and skin was a flawless porcelain white, his eyes a captivating blue, and blonde hair that fell around his face and shined even in the dim light of the cabin. Sophie was awed by him, and left speechless for a passing moment that seemed like an hour. His beauty was so familiar, like a face imprinted in her mind, for there was no way a girl could forget a face like that. This man's eyes examined Sophie as well, not that they hadn't been the whole ride, but it pleased him to see her fascination. As they glinted in the light, Sophie felt like she was brought back to life, and again tried to speak.

"You…you are…" The words wouldn't come, and she was silence again by the man.

"My dear, you're trembling. Are you cold?" Sophie realized that she was in fact trembling, but not from the cold. A pressure behind her entire face welled up from her chest, and felt as if she were going to cry. She felt all out of sorts, didn't understand what was happening, if she should be frightened or relieved, how to react, and why she was suddenly so emotional.

"I…." She murmured. "It's alright child," The man said in a comforting tone, and Sophie realized that his hand was rested upon hers. Her eyes drifted down to it, and then back up to his drowning eyes. She tried to speak again. "Shhhhh…" He reached out his other arm, tugging at her gently with the hand that cupped hers. The man embraced Sophie, coaxing her to sit beside him, and he held her to him.

Her head leaned against his chest, as his arms enveloped her, and it was the most comforting and natural thing. Home seemed like the dream now, as well did her family, the town, the daily life that had gone before, and the loneliness that she had endured….

After a while Sophie was finally able to speak, "Who are you?" She asked as she was beginning to be lulled to sleep by his embrace and the rocking carriage.

"My name is Howl." Sophie had drifted off, but the name continued on with her into dream and unconsciousness. The possessed carriage trekked deeper into the heart of the wastes, and the hills were beginning to turn into the slopes of mountains.

"Calsipher," Howl muttered to the carriage, "bring up the speed, and bring us home."

_A/N: There you have it, pretty happy so far, but I must warn my readers that Howl will not always be like this, and will not exactly change drastically, but will begin to show his true colors and motives – which as far as this story goes are pretty sadistic. . I hope you enjoyed, and please review!_

_-G.T._


	3. Chapter 2: The Plan

_A/n: Here is the next chapter, which will begin to peek into the dark nature of Howl, his mission, and the story in general. It took a little longer to get this one out, but the good thing is it is a little longer. I really appreciate all the support that this fanfiction has been getting, it really gives me motivation to keep writing, along side the fact that I am really liking this story. _

_Oh and to Zimmergirl who said that this fanfic was "the best Howl's Moving Castle story on the market" I really thank you for that, and I hope I keep up to expectations. Read and enjoy!_

**WARNING: Rated M for future coarse language, violence, and adult themes including sex and abuse. You have been warned.**

The Devil's Advocate

By Gothic Tinkerbell

Chapter 2 The Plan

"Did you dispose of the _trash_?" Howl spoke freely, content in his knowledge that the girl lay entranced in his arms. He had found that it was much easier to bring them in enamored, love struck, and without their wits, rather than frightened – so the act of kindness was all part of the bigger trap, just as a spider tries to make its nest as hospitable as it can for a fly. Not that the wizard did not enjoy having a young, voluptuous, girl unconscious in his arms, her soft body pressed into his, a still face and slow breath against his shoulder…

This girl had been quite a find, he admitted to himself – a gorgeous and impressionable youth, someone he could mold and manipulate, break away piece by piece until he got what he was after…her heart. Of course there would be some fun and games along the way, you can't steal a girl's heart without intimacy and domination, and he liked both very much. The wizard smiled to himself at the thought of finally being alone with the girl, in the proper environment, getting inside of her head, inside of her emotions, inside of her body…

Howl could feel the steady pulse of her heart beat, fluttering like a bird below her softly heaving chest, but at the same time felt the inhuman absence of his own, causing his lustful fantasies to be struck by a cold gripping feeling.

He realized that he still had no answer from Calcipher. The vibrant yet enslaved fire demon was a great source of Howl's power. Though he did not directly contribute to any of Howl's magical mastery, or demonic dealings for that matter, he was the foundation for the wizard's lifestyle. Without the strength of Calcipher to move and maintain the moving castle, all the other lesser transports such as this carriage, and do the dirty work that Howl didn't want to deal with, the wizard would never have the time or the means to keep up his most enjoyed sport – a game necessary to keeping his body alive.

"Calcipher? Did you or didn't you dispose of the trash?" Howl asked the carriage, his annoyance piercing the air. His question was granted a response this time.

"Yes sir, the girl is gone….or what you left of her…" Howl sighed and rubbed his temple. He hated when the pathetic little flame had to pass a moral judgment onto his dealings.

"My, my Calcipher, are you _trying_ to hurt my feelings? Hmmm? Why must you judge me? I don't question your lifestyle, do I?" His arrogance, sarcasm, and haughtiness became painfully clear.

"Of course sir, I just…" Calcipher tried to defend himself.

"You nothing….Do you ever think about my needs Calcipher? I provide you with all you need to survive - I am simply trying to do the same for myself. And I don't appreciate your judgment and your attitude, do you understand?"

The fire demon was never in a position to argue with his master, it was suicidal. "I understand….it was just a shock, it was so brutal-"

"Shut up." Howl was no longer sarcastic but bordering on angry. "I was only having a little fun, I needed to let out some steam," Howl smiled deviously, looked down upon Sophie and began to stroke her cheek, "I'm feeling much better now, and I don't want to talk about this any longer, or hear a single thing more about it from you either."

"…Of course. " The voice and the presence of Calcipher dimmed throughout the carriage, but the magical structure still tinkered on. Howl peered out the window, eyeing with pleasure the monstrous shadow of his castle appear in the distance. He had hid it well in his absence, and now felt quite content to return home, enjoy his rest, relaxation, and new playmate.

Howl mused, remembering when he had first found Sophie. The little town that bordered the waste was the easiest target for his needs, and powerless to stop him. It wasn't difficult to find a girl within its cluttered shops, smoky streets, and quaint houses, but to find the _right_ girl – that was a whole different story. She needed to have certain qualities if she were ever going to be considered for the honor Howl planned to exercise on her.

These attributes included, beauty, for they simply had to be the kind of rare and natural girls who's smile could tear at your heart and eyes could hold your stare with awe - Howl could do both of these things and more, so he only expected the same from his playmates. The girls needed to be interesting, intriguing, and had to have an attractive personality along side their attractive face and body, because Howl could grow bored of people so quickly, and with the lengthy and intimate process of stealing a girls heart, if she bored him she'd be dead long before he would finish. The final, and truly the most important quality had to be that girl must posses some deep flaw and fear, which could be identified and exploited, making her easy to manipulate. She could be insecure about her own worth, someone who gave too much of themselves to others, someone who was afraid to trust, someone who was afraid to be alone, or in the case of Sophie someone who was simply lonely down to their very core.

Howl had come across Sophie wandering through life like a mist that wouldn't settle. As she tried to scratch out a life for herself and her family, she was hiding a wounded heart that had been neglected for too long, and Howl could see this. He could also see the fragile beauty on her face and in her soul, and knew that one day he would come back for her.

After honoring the lives of a few other lucky girls, the time soon came when Howl needed to summon another perfect woman to have.

The wizard smiled again, gently tracing Sophie's lips, as she lay listless in his arms. There was something different about her, he knew this, something inherently kind and gentle, and he wondered how this might change things. Would he finally have a challenge again? He sat through the rest of the ride home, while his castle grew bigger on the horizon, calculating the best way to woe her, win her, and make her his own. Every girl needed something different – a different fantasy, and different stranger to fall in love with.

As the carriage came to a stop before the moving castle, Howl felt confident that he knew just what Sophie was searching for, and would be exactly that.

_A/n: hope you enjoyed it, and please keep up the positive response and the nicely put negative response so I can see how I could make this fic better. Thank you all, and I promise to keep it coming. _

_Look forward to the beginnings of Howl's and Sophie's interesting interactions. _

_-G.T_


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